Five Games: ‘Tomodachi Life’ And Everything Else You Need To Play This Week

Consoles, PCs, handhelds, Facebook, smartphones — the world of gaming is becoming increasingly confusing and fragmented, but don’t worry, we’re here to simplify things for you. Each week I’ll rattle off five games I think you might want to check out this week. Keep in mind, these articles aren’t meant to be comprehensive lists of everything coming out that week so much as a nice rounded tasting menu. So, let’s get to it…

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This Week’s Frustration Fest

1001 Spikes (PC, Mac, PS4, Wii U & 3DS, June 3rd)

1001 Spikes is a spiffed-up remake of Aban Hawkins & The 1000 Spikes, the intentionally frustrating-as-hell platformer released as an Xbox Live Indie Game a couple years back. This new version adds multiplayer co-op and, based on the title, at least one more spike to the mix.

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This Week’s Arcade Throwback

Ironsun Studios

Ionball 2: Ionstorm (PC, June 6th)

Ionball 2 appears to be a fairly straightforward modern take on block-busting arcade classic Breakout, with one bit twist — now the blocks shoot back! Looks like some solid mindless fun.

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This Week’s Detective Game

Murdered: Soul Suspect (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 & PS4, June 3rd)

Square-Enix’s Murdered: Soul Suspect has been flying pretty low under the radar, which usually isn’t a great sign for a big budget game like this, but the game’s premise remains intriguing. You play a ghost detective who has to solve his own murder by reading minds and influencing the still-living people around you. That’s a cool idea, and from the sounds of it, Souls Suspect is pretty much a pure adventure game (as opposed to an action game with bits of adventure stuff here and there), which is a pretty rare thing in the triple-A sphere. I’m willing to at least give this one a chance.

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This Week’s Other Detective Game

Noir Syndrome (PC, Mac & Linux, June 4th)

And now for a detective game that’s very much not a triple-A production. Noir Syndrome is a retro-styled adventure game in which you play detective and solve murders. Doesn’t sound that groundbreaking you say? Well, all the cases are procedurally generated, so unlike most adventure games, which tend not to have great replay value, you could potentially play Noir Syndrome forever.